This is a question as old as the profession of property management itself. Some bodies corporate believe that by appointing a managing agent, they are handing over the management of their scheme, pretty much in its entirety, to the managing agent. Managing agents should also be precise about the responsibilities they are taking on as well as those they are not...
For many owners in a sectional title scheme, attending the annual general meeting (AGM) is the only opportunity to participate in discussions and decisions concerning the complex. The trustees are responsible for arranging and running the AGM with the help of their managing agent. The changes made to the Sectional Title Act along with the establishment of the Sectional Title Schemes...
Changes to the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act 8 of 2011 (STSMA) on 7 October 2016 made fidelity insurance compulsory for bodies corporate. This means that the body corporate must insure itself against the potential loss of its funds by way of fraudulent or dishonest conduct by the trustees, managing agent or anybody who has access to these funds. Before the...
Short term letting is a controversial topic in sectional title for various reasons, one of which involving the uncertainty as to what is allowed and what is not. Body corporate trustees have been at loggerheads with owners, trying to get decisive rulings via the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) to solve their disputes. Regrettably, the CSOS adjudications have varied widely in...
Each new year presents its own challenges for a body corporate. Body corporate planning allows unresolved matters from the previous year to be attended to and for all the role players to reset for the year ahead. What pro-active planning can be done? Every year body corporate trustees must ensure that they deal with legislative requirements that make their scheme compliant. The trustees,...